Business Leaders urge House action as graduation season underscores need for students to leave high school with clear path forward

(5-20-26)  More students in Ohio will leave school with a clear plan for what comes next, thanks to the Ohio Senate’s passage of groundbreaking career-path legislation.

Senate Bill 328, a bipartisan bill strongly backed by Ohio Excels, would strengthen career-connected learning by helping middle and high school students better connect their education to viable career paths in the state. Ohio Excels is urging the Ohio House to continue the momentum and pass the bill.

For students walking across graduation stages this month, the question of what comes next is not theoretical but immediate, said Lisa Gray, president of Ohio Excels. 

Gray said-

“Senate Bill 328 would help students begin answering that question much earlier by giving them meaningful career exposure, helping them understand their strengths and interests, building essential professional skills, and developing a plan before they enter high school. We are grateful for the Senate’s action and urge the House to pass this bill so more Ohio students graduate with direction, purpose, and opportunity.”

For 43% of the 138,038 students who started high school in the Class of 2018, high school was their last formal education stop before entering the workforce, according to research by Ohio Excels, a business-backed, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the state’s education system. While many students pursue additional education after high school, nearly half of those who go on do not earn a degree.

Of Ohio parents, 86% believe it is important for their child to have a plan that maps out a pathway to a career after high school or college, according to a recent poll conducted by Ohio Excels.

These analyses led to the creation of Senate Bill 328, thanks to Ohio Excels’ convening of the Career-Connected Learning Coalition, a group of leaders including the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education, Alliance for High Quality Education, Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA), ExcelinEd, and the Ohio Federation of Teachers and others representing school counselors, business groups, community colleges, state agencies, and regional partnerships, to develop a proposal to improve student workforce readiness.

The legislation has been championed by State Sen. Kyle Koehler (R-Springfield) with a bipartisan group of co-sponsors, including Sens. Willis Blackshear Jr. (D-Dayton), Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware), Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati), Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin), and Jane Timken (R-Jackson Township).

Middle school career exploration would be required for students in grades 6-8 beginning in the 2026-27 school year, under SB 328. Students would complete a minimum of 60 hours of instructions in career exploration, through a course or an approved plan, that includes exposure to careers across Ohio’s 16 career clusters, hands-on learning, career interest and aptitude assessments, at least one career coaching session, early financial planning, professional and durable skills development, and creation or updating of a personalized academic and career plan.

In the future, every Ohio student would prepare a personalized academic and career plan that includes their strengths, interests, and aptitudes, career pathway alignment, academic, financial, and lifestyle goals, and a roadmap to meet graduation requirements tailored to their individual plan, under the legislation. Students’ plans would culminate in a professional resume completed by senior year. Plans would be updated annually, transferable, and accessible to families year-round.

Ohio’s ability to use data more effectively through the Education and Workforce Return on Investment Initiative would also be strengthened under Senate Bill 328. State agencies would be required to work together to link and analyze data across systems, making it possible to identify which programs deliver the strongest outcomes for students, employers, and taxpayers, according to the legislation.

Gray said-

“Graduation season is a reminder that every student deserves more than a diploma— They deserve a career plan that gives them direction and confidence about what comes next. SB 328 reflects the clear, structured approach that Ohio’s business community has been calling for, and it would help ensure that students are better prepared for higher education, military service, meaningful careers, and lifelong success.”

Ohio Excels is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization created in 2018 by state business leaders to improve educational outcomes and ensure K-12 schools prepare students for success in higher education, the military, and the workforce. For more information on Ohio Excels, visit https://www.ohioexcels.org/